Spencer Sherwin
Imperial College, University of London

Arteries and Algorithms: Computational Modelling of the Human Vascular System

The association of vascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, with blood flow properties such as wall shear stress has driven the use of computational methods to model flow in the larger arteries of the human vascular system. The problem presents a range of challenges from the non-Newtonian, pulsatile nature of blood flow, operating at intermediate Reynolds numbers, to the intricate geometric characteristics and distensible properties of the arteries. In this presentation we will discuss the application of spectral/hp element methods to the problem of vascular flow modelling. Starting with a reduced model to simulation the full vascular system we will then consider the complex flow modelling at arterial junctions and outline recent collaborative in-vivo work in arterial bypass grafting.

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